A Meeting Between Alphas [Closed - Att. Gata'ja]

[Balrogga]

Unknown Region
SWG
About a year ago



Nhur-Galladu shifted from the position he was holding as he gestured and an irregular object flew to his hand. Examining it, he turned it slowly in the long digits of his hands looking at every surface noticing the different protrusions and composition of them. He contemplated the seemingly random design until he noticed a pattern.

Grandfather, it is time

Thank you Overmind.

Nhur-Galladu sent a fragment of his awareness in a “direction” and found four others waiting for his arrival. Melding with them, he began the meeting.

The room formed around him and it appeared to be a standard conference room complete with a holoprojector above the round table. He noticed his four Grand Admirals waiting for him as he entered their gestalt. As one they “stood” and waited for him to be “seated”.

“Let’s begin.”

Dev’Staht was first to speak. “Warlord, we have been watching for an ally of sorts who we could use to further our goals. I believe we have found the ideal candidate.”

The holoprojector flickered into life and a scene appeared in the middle of the table showing a small reptilian being. It appeared to be about a meter in height but the maw contained several sharp teeth.

“At first they do not appear to be anything imposing or threatening other than those teeth. It is their number and beliefs which convey what caught my interest. They replicate quite quickly, have reaction times greater than most of the races out there, dislikes the usage of AI, and have interesting eating habits. They devour their prey alive and prefer what they call sentient creatures. It seems their dietary habits are more of a necessity than one of taste. They need to digest the lifeforce of their prey in addition to the husk. For this reason they are viewed as abominations by others and many try to use them as weapons through trickery. It seems they do not mind being tricked for they get to fill their larders and often those who trick them end up sharing space with their victims. They do not appreciate double dealing any more than their appreciating for those they consider beneath them on the food chain. They consider themselves the top predators in the MWG and allow others to use them to secure prey. On average, they need to eat three victims a day to maintain a happy lifestyle. “

K’Ing spoke next.

“They have traded their mercenary services to other nations in trade for technology, funding, and other concessions to further their racial ideals. They value strength and power above all and they frequently get what they want out of any deal. Any negotiating with them will initially be viewed as a weakness but a show of strength and power should get them to reconsider their initial assessment of a race. Of course, if the display attacks them, then they will only consider you an enemy and you will be swarmed. They value the natural order and evolution above others and distain anything artificial. AI, sentient robots, and other constructs are, if it could be described this way, pitied by them. They do not champion them in any way and would rather put them out of their misery of existence than deal with them. They are much the same way Kobol was when we first encountered them.”

Ga’Ton took his turn.

“As K’Ing as already said, their technology is taken from their employers and prey. They represent a hodge-podge of techs they acquired through their contracts and employ them most efficiently. They also have Gate Technology they acquired through some deal or from a fallen foe, not sure of the source. They use the Gate Technology to send their military forces in large motherships using ion drives for propulsion. It seems the majority of their ship enhancements came from their alliance with someone called the Viprans. Their attack ships cling to the mother ship hidden by their shield tech so they cannot be individually detected and then drop their forces in one big swarm of death.”


Finally Rdz’Quix took her turn.

“The parameters you set for our search has been met the most with the Gata’ja. They need a regular food source which we can not only supplement with our cloning technology but also by transporting some of them here we would give them new hunting grounds. They need to champion the Natural Order and many of the ones we will be pushing use the very things they abhor, making them natural targets for the Gata’ja. They will swarm targets and reduce the populations of those who have stagnated allowing room for those who can still embrace evolution to survive. They also represent something which can be fought against instead of us pretending to be beatable. Their losses will be quickly replaced and fuel their fighting spirit. Their distain of the stagnated ones will ensure they remain loyal to us and not try to cut deals to turn against us in the future. Predators do not lie with their prey unless they are devouring them. They also kind of remind me of a fleshy version of the Kythons, except they are purely reptilian instead of a mix between insect and reptile.”

Nhur-Galladu stared at the display depicting footage of the diminutive reptiles as he weighed the details presented to him by his Grand Admirals.

Send a representative to … Kuluma. Make a good impression and get them talking with us. If they do not agree to the proposal, leave them be. They do kinds resemble the Kythons in a way; I am sure Overmind will love working with them. Thank you for your excellent work. Meeting adjourned.

Nhur-Galladu returned the fragment back to his Self and continued what he was doing, levitating another fragment toward him and examining it until he found a matching face. The two pieces drifted together and when they met, they joined each other, matching surfaces and subsurface compositions. Reaching out with his will, he picked up another piece from the pile and began examining that one while the two joined ones drifted to a small collection of others floating nearby, waiting to be put together into a whole structure.


---


Kuluma System
MWG
One year ago



A wormhole suddenly appeared.

A black anomaly grew from nothing a safe distance from the Gata’ja homeworld and set off every gravitational and energy based alarm in the system. Just when they techs were able to acknowledge the alarms and silence them, the ship appeared.

It was nothing large, a mere 80 meters in total length. It appeared to be made of shapes instead of something functional. Two triangular wedged projected forward from a quartered and segmented sphere at the aft of the strange vessel and an arc of metal projected forwards from the tail of the ship. It appeared the bulk of the ship, the triangular wedges were barely connected to the sphere. The blue glow of energy seemed to fill the missing areas in the spherical section. It appeared to be a collection of shaped not even connected yet it was definitely a singular object.

As soon as the ship cleared the event horizon of the aperture, the wormhole closed. Additional alarms went off as sensor detected the vessel as containing a stellar mass and the power readings were off the scale, literally classifying the vessel as possibly a star if it was not an 80 meter ship composed of loosely connected shapes. The hull of the vessel was difficult to get any reading, almost as if it absorbed the energy of the sensors and even visuals observations could only get a generalized slightly blurry image as if it also absorbed some of the light itself.

A single sensor sweep began at the aft of the vessel, swinging through the ship in an arc as it swept through the system from right to left. Some of the closest vessels actually had the paint blackened or bubbled from the strength of the scan. Once the single sweep was completed, the ship remained silent for a few minutes while every defensive measure in the system locked on the anomaly as best they could. Other than the scan, the strange ship performed no other action, neither defensive nor offensive. It merely sat there until the Gata’ja were sure there was no immediate attack although they would not stand down.

Suddenly without out warning, a voice echoed in the minds of every native in range, seemingly speaking in their native tongue.

We are the Ta’Nar. We have chosen to speak with you on an important matter for your species.

The ebon ship waited in silence for the reply from the Gata'ja...

[The Gataja]

Milky Way Galaxy, Gamma Quadrant
Kuluma System, Ammudzi Territory

Kuluma had once been a relatively peaceful place, the hazy traffic of the Wanchito caste moving cargo of goods and food to and from the other systems, patrol ships quietly going about their routes, keeping an eye out for possible attacks. Although their neighbors had learned the hard way that punitive expeditions into their space granted them nothing but death and renewed raiding for a year, they still had to be ready in case they were foolish enough to try again. Here, the Gata'ja race had been content to farm, hunt, take mates, have children, raise new generations of their young to take on the tasks as needed by the community, a stagnant paradise engineered by the Elders of the Ammudzi, providing for their needs without straining the resources they had available.

But as with all things, good has to be replaced by strife and paradise is ripped away by reality, for perfection does not exist in nature, only balance, and they had lived too soft for far too long. A reality check in the form of the Huerdaen Star Empire's corporations barging into their Njuchi System, taking territory, driving off their people and beginning operations. Unsure who these aliens were and how to approach them, they tried crude diplomacy, which was ignored. Enraged, they resorted to their strength and found it annihilated, the corporations even striking at the base they had sent their forces from and destroying it within minutes.

The veil had been ripped away; the predators who had been dominant for so long had let themselves go lax and become the prey without realizing it. Fear gripped the Gata'ja and in a moment of desperation, turned to the Vipran Imperium for aid. Signing a treaty that was not in the favor very much, granting exclusive economic rights to the Imperium as well as becoming their allies and promising to be a blade against the HSE, they were given technology upgrades and advisors, military training and economic help, shaping their nation to become able to deal with the galactic stage. Like someone had kicked over an anthill, the Gata'ja set to work, building up their strength to be able to handle the galactic stage, and to one day assault the very nation that had instigated their awakening.

The Wanchito began to fuel and expand their infrastructure, expanding production, agriculture, and making as well as purchasing ships, weapons of war, and other materials and items to fuel their industry, the Wankhodo began to retool and retrain their warriors, rethinking tactics and learning how to use new technologies, raiding around to experiment and train the recruits as they expanded their military. The Tchire began to work on new developments and prototypes, taking in the upgrades they had received and expanding on them, and the Wofufuza began to seek out and explore the galaxy, expanding their network of informations and watchers, seeking out new targets and preparing the way for the Gata'ja.

For they had learned much from the archives of the Vipran Imperium, and of the powers of the galaxy. The IstAR, the Huerdaen Star Empire, the Valinor, the Vipran Imperium, the Xiscapian Empire and others, and had studied to find what had allowed them to grow strong. After all the opportunities found and seized, after the natural and technological advantages they had, they had looked deeper to find what they had done and found the truth.

They had all taken what they wanted, in one way or another; be it using diplomacy and kind words, offering gifts behind self-interested gratitude, or outright war, conquering what they needed and simply fighting any who stood in their way until they had what they wanted. Whatever the means, they had spat on the galactic notions of peace, self-determination, and cooperation. They did what suited them when they wanted it, and in the end, if someone tried to stop them, they would crush them. The Gata'ja learned this and more, and incorporated it into their strategy as they moved forward. As a raiding culture, and a race that still tapped into their primal, savage side of their minds, diplomacy was a very taxing thing, one which they were still learning. So, they opted for the direct, brute force method, and launched an assault to conquer their neighbors, who had fallen within minutes to the upgraded, re-trained and well-informed Wankhodo caste forces, and even now struggled to keep them from conquering their homeworlds fully.

The home system was now ablaze with activity, as shipments of troops, supplies and war materials was sent to the front to consolidate their hold and break the resistance in what was becoming known as the Homeworlds Conflict, ships were engaging in combat exercises as well as patrols, the engine of conflict and consumption that was the Gata'ja now never stopping.

They had been expecting some kind of assault for some kind now, reports of events like this in past drawing reprisals telling them to be ready for an attack for their actions and thus when the alarms began to blare of an unknown FTL designation entering into the home system, far too close to Kuluma, they acted as one. The forces dedicated to defense of the homeworld formed up around the orbital defense stations and forts, while in-systems forces began to converge on the point, only one fleet's worth had managed to arrive in time before the the wormhole that had appeared vanished and a single vessel appeared to Akazi Yolusa's eyes, as she sat in the command center in the capital, overseeing the defense while the Bask met in the underground bunker of the main facility, making preparations. They were on an audio only channel from the projector next to her, a voice already buzzing into her ear.

/”Yolusa, what is the strength of the enemy force?”/

Yolusa took a long drag from her pipe and laid it down, hissing out the smoke in a contemplative sigh.

“Unknown, it is only one vessel, however. It is of a design that matches no known records, even from the Vipran archives, and the power readings we're getting from it...It would indicate it is similar in profile to a star. Whatever this thing is, and whomever owns it, has technology we have never seen before.”

/”Have you run it through to see if it shares design specifications from any of the known prey?”/

”Already done, no matches. The ship, as far as we can make of it due to some kind of disruption device similar to our own, is made up of shapes like a mwana had smashed their toys together into a shape. There is a high amount of energy production from what we can tell, again higher than we've seen.”

Yolusa stared at the screen, drawing again from her pipe nervously. They hadn't sent a message yet, out to the rest of their force, or even to the Gata'ja. They were just sitting their watching, while requests for information or directives were coming in from their forces, which were warping in more and more to literally surround this tiny vessel. Everything seemed to be in their favor, if this ship was alone, yet why did she feel as if there was a hot breath on the back of neck, teeth ready to bite down and destroy if they so much as twitched in struggle?

/”Akazi, prepare the forces to-”/

Before the Bask could finished, a voice slammed into their minds, an alien force that had power even unto its words. The Gata'ja bestial mindset resisted this intrustion but was unable to halt it, and wails sounded as they struggled to deal with the connection set upon them. The forces went into disarray around the vessel, as they lost control of themselves and their ships. Yosula managed to keep herself focused, drawing upon the Njala to calm her mind and understand what was being said.

We are the Ta’Nar. We have chosen to speak with you on an important matter for your species.


Yosula managed to keep herself after the intrusion stopped, looking around to see her staff recovering as well, some of them trying to clean blood dripping from their nostrils.

/”Y-Yosula, are you still with us?”/

“Yes...Yes, I am. You heard that as well.”

Silence for a moment, they must be collecting themselves as well, and probably aiding those harder hit by this. Probably the younger Elders, they had not come into their...own as much as they had.

/”We did. We have ordered all forces to stand down and move away from the vessel. Only initiate combat if they initiate it. We need to know more before we risk angering something we are not prepared for. You are authorized to represent the Bask to these beings.”/

She gripped the sides of the console she was at; this was a heavy responsibility for one to have, especially in this situation. However this proceeded, it would be on her head; the Bask must have been especially hard hit for this to have been done. But, her duty as Elder and a Gata'jan asserted itself, and she pushed past the uncertainty.

“Very well. I will begin.” She disconnected the channel and opened up one, audio only again, on all spectrums they could manage, at the ship.

”Vessel of the Ta'Nar, this is Akazi Yolusa of the Bask, rulers of the Gata'jan Ammudzi, of whose territory you have violated without warning. What important matter brings you to our territory unannounced? If it is war you bring, know that we will fight to drive you out. If it is peace you offer, then explain your thoughts.”

Rebuking? Slightly. But still, she had maintain a commanding presence even in the face of something as powerful and strange as this, and if it was coming to declare war, she had to draw it out as soon as possible. Her forces were recovering and if they had a shot at this, it was to hit this thing with everything they had.

***************
Akazi: title of Elder
mwana: child

[Balrogga]

The return message was direct instead of telepathic, using the same audio frequencies Akazi Yolusa used.

“We have observed you for a short time and have determined you require a show of Strength and Power to prove we are not a Prey species. You nor your vessels will not be harmed, only that mined out asteroid left discarded will be the target of our demonstration.”

A single three meter scrap detached itself from the vessel. It was not a fragment, it was as if a being of blackness bubbled from the hull itself and formed into what appeared to be a bizarre mixture of reptile and insect. The four insect legs and the four reptilian arms adorned the segmented body of a large insect while an eyeless reptilian head with a maw of teeth atop the ebony creature. The creature folded its legs to its sides as well as its arms and it flew through the vacuum of space to a nearby mined out and worthless asteroid. The creature landed upon the surface and where it touched, blackness seemed to spread. The creature took off again and returned to the strange black vessel, merging with the hull as if both were liquid.

On the asteroid, the strange black area quickly spread from the four points of contact outward in an ever increasing circle. Sensors seemed blurred but they were able to determine the blackness also traveled downward through the material of the asteroid until mere minutes later the entire thing was a black ebon chunk of unknown material. As if waiting for an unknown signal, the surface of the asteroid began to bubble everywhere as arms began to reach out from under the surface. Eyeless reptile heads emerged, followed by the body and lastly legs. Newly formed alien creatures flew from the bubbling surface making from for more to emerge. This continued until the entire asteroid was gone, replaced by a twisting swarm of ebon creatures where there was only rock before.

The swarm shattered outward in a sphere of twisting chaos and formed several individual hordes sweeping between groups of defensive vessels and stations. Some of the creatures even landed on the hulls and looked into the viewing ports for a second before flittering off as the swarm swept past them. It was noticed the swarm left no black marks behind.

Eventually the swarm acted as if it were a single organism and swept together, collapsing into itself forming a black blob of bodies which seemed to merge together into an increasingly familiar shape. Slowly the structure of one of the Paketi-class Battlecruisers formed, except it was completely black as night. Sensors detected the unshielded vessel conformed to the same specifications as the others in the system, including the layout of the internal decking. Lastly, the ship formed a power core not of the original design, instead gaining the mass shadow of a star and the power readings of the original mysterious vessel which included the inability to accurately lock onto the object.

Again, the alien voice was transmitted, addressing the Gata’ja Elder.

"Please indicate if this is enough to allow us to speak as powerful predators, if not, we will leave and you will never see us again."

[The Gataja]

Yolusa leaned over the console, staring at the vessel as she waited for them to reply, to give an indication of their intentions. She glanced back at the rest of the room, several of the Gata'ja who had been unable to properly deal with the voice in their heads were being taken out on stretchers, Wanchito caste getting them out to be taken to medical facilities. New specialists were being sent in as they were being moved out, taking up their positions after being filled in by the fellows around. They were aghast at the wincing expressions and dried blood trails on their eyes and nostrils, but were swiftly put back to work by angry hissing and continued to monitor the vessel. When the return message finally came, Yolusa breathed a sigh of relief; it was electromagnetic spectrum, not whatever the previous one was. She sat back into her chair, raising a hand to the rest of the room, who took it as a signal to begin their work. Claws worked over holographic controls as the message was analyzed and translated; the translation took little time at all, having been sent in Galactic Common, but data continued to stream as they analyzed the voice to determine gender and species, the signal itself for an idea on the technology used. Each time, they came up with errors or it simply stopped, unable to proceed any further without more information from the archives or from the ship itself. They had refrained from actively scanning it beyond its arrival to avoid provoking a hostile response, but there was little else they could do.

“We have gathered what data we can, Akazi. Other than confirming what we already know, we cannot match the voice and the technology to any known species or entity. We have forwarded what we have to the Bask and the Tchezi Caste for further review.”

“Good work. Continue monitoring and prepare to send a reply.”

Yolusa called up the message received from these Ta'Nar, gazing at it.

“We have observed you for a short time and have determined you require a show of Strength and Power to prove we are not a Prey species. You nor your vessels will not be harmed, only that mined out asteroid left discarded will be the target of our demonstration.”

Every Gata'ja twitched at that, a natural response to the words broadcasting through the speakers. They had been watched for a short time, but that could mean a few weeks to a few years. Short was relatived based on lifespan of those involved; some of the Bask were Elders from the time when they first formed the Ammudzi, although they were never seen by anyone except for their fellow Elders. However, they had apparently found out the proper protocol for them, and were seeking to prove their strength in a non-hostile manner to the Gata'ja. Yolusa's mind worked rapidly; this meant they sought some kind of accord with them or they wouldn't be going to these lengths to prove their power; on the other hand, they could seek to make them a protectorate or something along those lines without fighting, by simply demonstrating the foolishness of their actions. This did mean that a predator, a potential predator, had been watching for them some time. Gritting her teeth, she shifted the focus to the asteroid in question, and watched as something birthed itself from the sleek hull of the vessel, midnight black form, a mix of a chokwawa and a tizilombo, a small creature nonetheless, which quickly drew into itself and flew to the asteroid, briefly landing on it, before returning back to the vessel, melting into the armor again. The same black material began to spread over the asteroid, dropping her stomach into the depths of horror as she gained a inkling of what this meant.

“Sensors, get me data on that now!”

The crew set to work again, active pulses pounding the asteroid as it became consumed by the material. Data came pouring in, bits and pieces being shouted by the crew as they discovered.

“It's accelerating, consuming volumes exponentially every second!”

“Its...By the Ancestors, its replacing the mass of the asteroid with more of itself. It's a viral mutagen that can affect non-living matter!”

“We're reading a mix of technology and...organic material in the substance. It's reading as alive, Akazi!”

“We're having difficulty getting more, analemekeza, the same disruption is affecting this material as well!”

Yolusa continued to watch as the asteroid became fully converted into this material. This was very, very bad, they could use resources in system in a matter of seconds to make whatever this was. If conflict came, their own resources would be turned against them. The worst was yet to come however, as the Akazi began to smoke her pipe furiously, struggling to remain calm, the blurry image of the asteroid began to sprout arms all over it, more of the creature which had been sent out initially began to be produced, before it was gone and a swarm of these..things took its place. Silence reigned in the command center, tension now sharp as a knife as they stared at the creatures. A moment passed, then two, as their forces also halted, waiting to see if any hostile moves were about to be taken. They had been promised no harm would come to them, but it could have been a lie to keep them from allowing this to happen. If they fled to the planet or any of the other asteroids, they could be dealing with a host of these and they'd have a fight on their hands.

They began to form into groups and even moved between the defenses and the surrounding vessels, some even landing on one, moving through the shield as if was nothing. She could only imagine the horror of the crews as they watched and saw this happen. However, nothing happened to the vessels and they left; one captain managed to send a recording of what external cameras had captured of the creatures gazing into the lens before moving off. She made a hazy mental note to give him a recommendation later for service under duress. Perhaps they weren't able to affect artificial or created materials? She could only hope, as they suddenly flew together and became a bulbous mass once more, which began to shift and changed.

As it formed into a shape, there was a collective intake of breath from the room, and the brief sound of a pipe falling to the floor from the stunned mouth of the Akazi, as one of their Paketi-class Battlecruisers was formed from these creatures, same midnight hull, some insane power reading as before, but with the same design, even down to the internal configuration. Sensors confirmed that three times before she was satisfied. Quickly, as it finished, the mass shadow and disruption kicking in again as it simply sat there in space, and Yolusa could swear that it was watching them.

“A-Akazi...They've sent another message.”

A mere whisper came from her mouth. “Show me.”

"Please indicate if this is enough to allow us to speak as powerful predators, if not, we will leave and you will never see us again."

There was a moment of silence from the Gata'ja, sensors stopped bouncing around the two ebony vessels until finally a reply was received.

”Your demonstration has been noted. We request a face to face meeting between representatives, Alpha to Alpha, to determine what you seek with us and what accord can be reached. We will provide an orbital station to house this meeting. If these terms are acceptable, send your representative to these coordinates.”

Standing up silently, Yolusa retrieved her pipe, considered it for a moment and then pocketed it. She'd need something stronger if she wanted to use it now. This situation wasn't making sense, what had they done to draw what could only be an ancient species or being like this out?

“Send everything to the Bask and prepare Mtetezi Station Three for diplomatic proceedings. They are to clear the conference room on Level Two, and station our elite Mlenje Wakupha packs that we have available in the station and call my Woyang'anira pack from the Bask to have them meet me there. Continue monitoring and scan any new activity exhibited by our visitors and send a copy to the Bask. You, you are in command until I return.”

The selected Gata'ja inclined its head, clasped its hands together in acceptance, as she stormed out, moving to her quarters to get her gear and some of the good herbs she had. She needed something strong before she met whatever this was. The Bask approved both of her orders, as well as issuing one of their own; the vessels surrounding the ship backed away, returning to their patrol and station spots in the system, returning to some manner of normalcy, although the defense fleet for Kuluma remained in position and on alert. One must keep up appearances and a show of force was necessary when dealing with another predator. Weakness was an advantage freely given and they could not afford that. Five packs of Mlenje Wakupha were stationed, and as the Ta'Nar representative landed in the shuttle bay designated, one of them would meet them to guide them in. The sight before the Ta'Nar was odd but definitely something that was intimidating for many who saw them for the first time. They wore sleek black armor, red lights peering up from sections on the armor, signs of the energy powering it, as it assisted their movements. No sign of the mixed robe and armor they had seen many Gata'ja wear, this was a clearly military suit, high grade material and design, albeit not powered armor. Their face was hidden behind a mask that had a filtration system packed into the mouth and a visor for allowing them to see out. Their hair could be seen, kept long and often twined into a very artful series of braided designs, with delicately carved tokens of bone, teeth and claw woven in. The odd part, as they would have seen in their observations, was that they were only about three feet tall, some pushing above that slightly. They stared up at the Ta'Nar, waiting for the introduction to be finished before simply saying,

/”Your presence has been accounted for; the Akazi awaits you in the conference room. We shall direct you.”/

They would assume a tight formation, but maintaining personal space for the representative as they were escorted through the halls. It would a somewhat tight fit, as this section was built with standards for those with non-Gata'jan height in mind, but just barely. The halls were made of the same gunmetal black plating the ships had, with tribal insignias and flags, with the flag of the Ammudzi displayed in the larger spaces. Gata'ja worked at consoles, doing repairs, moving shipments of items around, some even enjoying time off in the food court. Tension was in the air and everyone moved as if holding in a breath, some trying to hide the fact they were staring at the representative as they moved. It was as if one cornered a gehena mphaka, its hunches drawn up, teeth bared, just about to hiss in warning.

They would arrive at the conference room, where another pack was waiting, a squad of four; they cleared the representative who walked in, to see two packs, one per well, standing at attention, waiting as the Elder sat in the middle, at a relatively small table, a meal for two established. She would look much what they had come to know, robes with Gata'jan lettering and many trophy trinkets dropping down from, sewn into the fabric. Her tough, leathery skin covered with bumps of cartilege and bone, giving the appearance of having armored fleshed. Vicious claws were wrapped around a pipe, which exuced bluish-black smoke as she let it out several seconds after holding it in. She was different, like all Elders, in that her hair was shock white and her skin was midnight black, something about become an Elder triggered the process. Slitted yellow eyes shot up to gaze at him, and the pipe was laid to rest in a prepared stand. She remained seated as they approached, speaking once their introduction had been made by one of the accompanying pack before she dismissed them with a jerk of the eyes. She returned her attention to the representative, eyes taking all of them in and considering before speaking.

/”I am Akazi Yolusa, the one you have been dealing with since your arrival. You have proven your strength and intent enough to have this meeting. Food and drink have been provided as welcome for your demonstration.”/ She waved a hand over a wide array of fruits, nuts, dark liquids kept in containers, and freshly cooked animals of various sizes and configurations. They would be able to note on the Akazi's side, some of the meat looked to be from a sentient species, if one was familiar with that sort of thing. She poured herself a drink and one for the diplomat across from her, and once they were seated, spoke again.

/”You have come far and done much in our system without so much as a warning. You seek to parley with the Gata'ja. If it is not war you bring, what is it the...Ta'Nar wish to speak about with us?”/

*********
analemekeza- honored one
Mlenje Wakupha- Hunter-Killer, elite hunters at the service of the Bask
Woyang'anira-Warden, the position for packs of those who risk to Elder status, given elite training and equipment, serving as their bodyguards.

[Balrogga]

A single figure emerged from the ebon frigate and moved in a straight trajectory towards the indicated shuttle bay. The ebon ship remained absolutely silent and still, as if watching even though there was not a second sensor pulse. The streak of light slowed as it approached, taking a gentle curved path thus showing it not to be an energy pulse from a weapon, most do not fly outside a straight path and at sub-light speeds. The figure halted shortly before the open landing bay and the light coalesced into a form of a humanoid garbed in a long dark jacket before stepping aboard the Gata’ja station.

/“I am Anthony Stark. I believe I am expected.”/

The form looked to be human in appearance but something was not right. It took a couple seconds before anyone noticed the eyes were too deep, too old for any living being. Looking into them make one feel as if they were peering into the darkest and oldest depths of the universe. There was great wisdom and power behind those eyes, enough to unnerve anyone into turning away. Of course, there was more lurking in those depths but the feeling of something ancient was what came to mind first.

The use of their own tongue surprised the waiting Mlenje Wakupha as they stood in their black power armor.

/”Your presence has been accounted for; the Akazi awaits you in the conference room. We shall direct you.”/

Stark followed his honor guard knowing they were watching him with as many sensors as well as eyes as they could unobtrusively. One never takes one’s eye off a potential predator or prey. Anthony was equally aware of the electromagnetic patterns of wiring in the walls terminating in sensor clusters as well as the eyes watching him through black visors.

After a short trip/tour of the station, Anthony found himself entering the conference room. Once Anthony was cleared by the waiting guards at the entrance, he entered the small-ish room. It was clear the chamber was designed to be large for the Gata’ja, perhaps to allow beings larger then themselves to be somewhat comfortable but currently his head was nearly hitting the ceiling. Anthony approached the waiting Akazy and gave her a bow of respect, never taking his eyes from her yellow-slitted ones. As Host, he allowed her to speak first.

/”I am Akazi Yolusa, the one you have been dealing with since your arrival. You have proven your strength and intent enough to have this meeting. Food and drink have been provided as welcome for your demonstration.”/

/”I will be honored to sit at your table and share in your feast. I am Anthony Stark, I am the representative sent by my Warlord Nhur-Galladu to speak with you and your race.”/

Anthony took the glass offered to him and drank it without hesitation. Of course, since he is an avatar composed of cohesive light energy, the drink was not actually consumed. The fluid was disintegrated as it flowed past his lips making it look as if he were drinking and eating. It was a talent taught to both the Childer and Ta’Nar alike through their Link long ago. Anthony tried some of every dish presented to him, turning away none but also making sure he did not over indulge.

/”You have come far and done much in our system without so much as a warning. You seek to parley with the Gata'ja. If it is not war you bring, what is it the...Ta'Nar wish to speak about with us?”/

Setting aside the glass he just took another drink from, Anthony addressed Youlsa.

/”I will not try to deceive you. The Ta’Nar are going to cause a little stir soon and you have caught our attention. We do not need you for the actions we are planning but your presence will make things easier to achieve our goals. If you decide to not participate the actions will take place with or without you. The location will be in another galaxy so they will not affect your nation in the slightest.”/

Anthony took another sip from his glass before continuing.

/”The Ta’Nar has decided to cull the stagnated meatbags from our galaxy; they are inhibiting the path of evolution and causing further stagnation. The society has come to depend on androids to fight and care for them instead of doing things for themselves. This is a situation we cannot stand and will do whatever is needed to further the evolution of those who are fittest to survive. There will be many deaths in the culling and you could use the meat. It will be a great waste of resources to let it rot on the devastated worlds instead of being used by those who need it. This is where you come in.”/

/”We are also interested in you because of your special pack sense. In our scale, it is the first step to the true path of sentience. Races without those most basic senses are not considered sentient by us, like the one on the plate by your elbow. They are nothing but clever cattle that learned how to shoot guns and fly ships. They are still evolutionary dead ends until they take the step from the mundane existence into that of the higher form.”/

/”The Ta’Nar would like to propose assisting you in extending your gate to reach our galaxy so you can return home at your own leisure. We would like you to set up another homeworld in ours and you can reap the benefits of the culling. As worlds are eliminated, your territory will expand and you will stand by us and our allies to be the most powerful predators in our galaxy as well as here. Your gate would allow you to bring any benefits from our galaxy here to help feed your population. We also have advanced cloning technology to provide substandard subsidence for I know the lifeforce you need infused in your food would not typically be in a clone.”/

/”In our galaxy, there is a microorganism which links life-forces of other beings into a background field. Some individuals can manipulate and use this field to cause things to happen, in a form of magic, if you wish to simplify it. I do not know if this will affect your diet in any way but if so then the food base would be increasingly energetic for you. Here is a sample for your scientists to examine.”/

Anthony held out his hand and it was containing a small sealed container with a couple blinking lights. He set it upon the table before continuing.

/”This is a small cryogenic capsule for maintaining specimens. Inside is a lower class animal which contains an average dose of the microorganisms. I hope it can be found to be compatible for your species.”/

/”What we want in return is respect and loyalty. We will direct some of your advances and we will back you up so you are not exterminated. We will hunt our prey together.”/

/”One last thing. The Fallen Empire of Balrogga consists of three races. The insect/reptile Kythons which are living bodies of metal inhabited by minds we created through Genesis, the Childer are minds we Uplifted through various evolutionary inducing means, and the Ta’Nar who are most likely the oldest beings in the multiverse. We evolved out of our bodies long before the oldest stars were formed and we believe in evolving and uplifting those races we find worthy. We have yet to find any more ancient than we are; nor any who are more powerful.”/

Anthony finished his glass and poured himself a new one.

/”Yes, I am Ta’Nar and I have seen stars die of old age I remember forming as if it were yesterday. I have no body, this is mere a projection of my willpower and I can shape it into any form I wish. I am not afraid of being your prey for I have no meat to eat. The Childer are likewise ascended and the Kythons, the least of our children, are composed of living metal. I tell you this in order to be completely honest and am not exposing any weakness, just a strength you have not considered. “/

As to prove his point, Anthony reformed his avatar into that of a smaller form somewhat similar to the Gata’ja but clearly not one so as not to mock them in any way. The new form placed him on the same height as his hostess, a symbolic way of saying he was willing to treat them as an equal predator and not an underling of any sort.

/”As I stated, if you decide to not take us up on our offer, I will leave and your society will most likely never see one of our ships again. We will not hold it against you and will respect your desire to travel your own evolutionary path. Take your time to decide, I have an excellent glass to enjoy.”/

[The Gataja]

The arrival of the figure and its following actions had been of concern to Yolusa; there had been an energy source that had departed the alien vessel, which had originally been though to be some kind of energy weapon, but its trajectory and speed, as well as timing, had convinced her bridge crew that it was a transport of some kind. It was not of any technology or ability they had seen, though their time amongst the stars once again had been very short. The further surprise came when it formed into a being upon reaching the shuttle bay, startling the guards who then escorted him as quickly as possible to her. They had reported the being being able to speak their language as fluently as they could, although in a fit of humor, one had reported him to have a 'very bland accent.” It was functional but it lacked the roll of the tongue and click of the throat that only their biology could give the subtle strengths and emotives to their words. Still, it was a display of this race's power, and was leading her more and more to consider this a race of 'psionics' as they were called in the galactic archives, more known to them as a Ndimalota Kuyenda, a Walker of Dreams. If so, they were very powerful indeed; few of the Elders retained this kind of ability still, and they were amongst some of the oldest of the Gata'ja Akazi remaining.

As the emissary was let in, Yolusa got a look at him and he already seemed off, something was not what his form was displaying. He looked like a slightly pale human, but his scent smelt of ozone and energy, not of flesh. Her eyes flashed briefly, testing the fragrance of his soul and was hit with the sheer amount of energy in it; few souls ever got to this level of ability, it was something they had only seen as faint whispers of bygone ages and some of the eldest Bask members. This put her further on her guard as she showed up. She greeted him with the mix of food and distance, as was standard for any non-Gata'jan, but the rhetoric had been toned down. They had been learning from the Viprans of the value of diplomacy and the display earlier had been rather convincing.

This being shared in their food and drink, imbibing without any hesitation, she noted that as a factor in his favor for their negotiations. Yolusa's attention wandered as she sampled the sentient flesh that had been prepared. The ever present pang of hunger, the chasm of sensation just under actual pain eating away against her will, her mind, and her control. She took a bite, the rich flavors of the spices and sauces soaked and pressed into the meat filling her mouth with sensation, her tongue making contact with the meat and preparing the meat for digestion even as she swallowed, filling the void abate just a bit. The slight burn at the back of her mind eased as well, the Njala of her soul enjoying its own nourishment from the meal. She had soon consumed the entire meal and was feeling much better, her hunger having retreated to feeling mostly, oh how did the Viprans put it, “peckish.”

As her question left her lips to the other, she focused herself on his reactions and facial expressions as he began to respond.

/”I will not try to deceive you. The Ta’Nar are going to cause a little stir soon and you have caught our attention. We do not need you for the actions we are planning but your presence will make things easier to achieve our goals. If you decide to not participate the actions will take place with or without you. The location will be in another galaxy so they will not affect your nation in the slightest.”/

So, it was for a purpose; they wanted the Gata'ja's strength for some action they intended to make. Understandable. The Viprans had sought them to add to their trade network and now as their sword against the Huerdaen Star Empire. They were a very useful blade, the issue was getting the Ammudzi to listen. A predator does not simply offer themselves up as subordinate, the two fight until one is proven the dominant; a fight in this case was not a good idea from what she had seen, which made their request a curious one. Why did they need her people if they had this much power?

/”The Ta’Nar has decided to cull the stagnated meatbags from our galaxy; they are inhibiting the path of evolution and causing further stagnation. The society has come to depend on androids to fight and care for them instead of doing things for themselves. This is a situation we cannot stand and will do whatever is needed to further the evolution of those who are fittest to survive. There will be many deaths in the culling and you could use the meat. It will be a great waste of resources to let it rot on the devastated worlds instead of being used by those who need it. This is where you come in.”/

/”We are also interested in you because of your special pack sense. In our scale, it is the first step to the true path of sentience. Races without those most basic senses are not considered sentient by us, like the one on the plate by your elbow. They are nothing but clever cattle that learned how to shoot guns and fly ships. They are still evolutionary dead ends until they take the step from the mundane existence into that of the higher form.”/

/”The Ta’Nar would like to propose assisting you in extending your gate to reach our galaxy so you can return home at your own leisure. We would like you to set up another homeworld in ours and you can reap the benefits of the culling. As worlds are eliminated, your territory will expand and you will stand by us and our allies to be the most powerful predators in our galaxy as well as here. Your gate would allow you to bring any benefits from our galaxy here to help feed your population. We also have advanced cloning technology to provide substandard subsidence for I know the lifeforce you need infused in your food would not typically be in a clone.”/

/”In our galaxy, there is a microorganism which links life-forces of other beings into a background field. Some individuals can manipulate and use this field to cause things to happen, in a form of magic, if you wish to simplify it. I do not know if this will affect your diet in any way but if so then the food base would be increasingly energetic for you. Here is a sample for your scientists to examine.”/

Yolusa leaned back, her eyelids coming to rest half over her eyes as she considered Stark's words. It was obvious from his word choice he was trying to play to their desires and their needs, a focus on the offering of meat and resources, the chance to cull the weak from a herd and force this galaxy of theirs to fight and become predator or die as prey. It was interesting that these Walkers only considered those with their same abilities as being worthy of life; apparently they just barely fit the mold, but fit they did. She kept her lip from curling at the jibe; arrogance knew its brethren and she knew she would be the same when dealing with most of the galaxy.

What they were offering was immense, however, and hard to refuse. Another galaxy to hunt and feed in, a rapidly constructed gate to transport forces, trade and resources between the two galaxies. And they had been the first of any of their contacts to offer any territory; the Gata'jan population was beginning to swell with all the excitement; deployments into the Wanchito Caste and their operations was serving as a good limiter, but that was going to become a problem in a few years. And should the worst happen here, they could retreat into the other galaxy and come back to reclaim their home should it fall to any Akunja.

Her interested was mostly drawn to this sample offered, which she accepted and gazed over the containment device, which contained an organism that allowed members of the cattle where these Walkers were from to use 'magic', a term for abilities that the ignorant could not understand. All wielders of any power or force drew their power from something inside or external of themselves, it could be identified and named, instead of just being called magic. It was the same copout that many did when ascribing events and happenings to gods of some description. It was an ending of understanding, the diversion from personal responsibility and self-reliance, putting yourself at the mercy of a higher power.

She set it down upon the table as he finished explaining what was inside. She raised a claw and flicked it in the direction of one of the guards. Wordlessly, they came forward, securing the container and exited the room with it. It would be delivered to one of the Tchire Caste, for observation, study and dissection to determine if what he said was true. Then came the end of the pitch, the simplification of the relationship they were to have. They were to show these...Ta'Nar respect and not betray them, they would hunt together, though only at certain times, and they would ensure they would not be wiped out.

”Unless we prove ourselves too weak for the venture.” She thought to herself while swirling the remnants of a glass of hard alcohol before downing the rest of it, enjoying the bite on her tongue. As he finished with an explanation of the ancient stock of his people, and how the Gata'ja posed no danger to them, Yolusa leaned forward, cocking her head at the changed form and height of the messenger.

/”Your history is a discussion for the Tchire, they are ones to sift legends and history into information that can be stored and used. You have offered us resources, territory and expansion. \\, new hunting grounds, a whole new galaxy and a conflict that will soon set it ablaze. A very tempting offer, but as you can imagine, we have a lot on our plate already, and the prey is still wriggling with life. We will have to consider your offer.”/

Wiping her mouth with a napkin, she set it off to the side as she stood up, claiming her status as superior in the situation. /”I shall convene with the rest of my caste and determine the wisdom of your arrangement. You may visit our common area or our local library should you have any desire for pursuits to pass the time, or may remain here and continue feasting. I shall return with an answer for you in one hour.”/ And with that she was gone, sweeping out of the room, the outer four guards following her, while the three remaining in the room stayed in place, waiting for their services to be needed, with the fourth having been sent off returning to fill his position again. If asked, two would silently escort him to any of the aforementioned areas and would answer questions with polite curtness, saying the most basic of answers before returning to silence.

Yolusa's brain wrapped around the ideas as a shuttle carried her to the Yomalize Ukonde, where the Bask would be conducting an emergency meeting, having been watching and waiting for the meeting to end. She managed to still herself, forcing her heart to slow and her limbs to stop shaking from a fight or flight response with breathing techniques so that upon entering the ancient stone steps of the chamber itself, she was calm once more. It was a structure few ever got to see, her own guards having been dismissed at the entrance of the tunnel leading to this room by the door guards on duty. Only the Akazi could step foot in here without special invitation.

It was a chamber of stone and obsidian, silver and black playing off each other as a masterfully carved out chamber was hewn, benches and seats provided for their number, a four way series of square angles that hosted their body, with a central raised step for the Speaker to address the Bask. Normally it was the elected Gata'ja, chosen by the Bask, to raise issues, call for votes, and handle the business of ruling, but this situation called for her to take that position for now.

“We welcome one of our fold back into our arms.” The booming voice of the Speaker announced, standing off to the side of the center, waving an arm out to Yolusa. She nodded in acknowledgement and spoke as she came into the utter middle of the room.

“And I am gracious to be accepted by them. Do I have the leave of the ancestors to speak?”

The Speaker nodded, giving an affirmative click and faded back to his seat in the section behind him, allowing her to step forward. Silence reigned as they waited for her explanation and advice. They had all been privy to the conversation, discussing and debating it up until she had arrived when they fell into a hushed silence. Gathering herself, she began to speak,

“There is nothing to be gained over wringing our claws over this, so I shall be blunt and to the point. We have a choice, a crossroads, before us with this opportunity. We have new hunting grounds to acquire, more territory, food and resources, with a gate connecting the two to ensure both areas can support the other. We are being given much in return for being the soldiers, the sword, of these Ta'Nar, for when they set this galaxy of their aflame to drive away the icy clutches of stagnancy. It could potentially be a trap, or something where we will take the fall and be left alone to take the brunt of the anger we have caused. Much to gain, but much to lose, with a potential ally we know nothing of beyond what has been told to us.

It is to my estimation that we should take this deal; we have much going on here in this galaxy that could use the support and boon of systems uncontested by multiple claimants with the support of an ally that has great power. We'll have the resources we need to fuel our production here and at the claimed facility where we encountered the Kostemetsians. We'll have testing grounds for the Wodzaza Project that we have been debating these past few weeks, and plenty of cattle to collect for it. And should the worst come to pass in our operations here, we'll have a place of strength to fall back to, gather ourselves and then return in vengeance, taking back what was lost. There is the risk of these erstwhile allies, but we can ask for more information on what we're getting into, our targets and where they intend for us to start. These, in my mind, are lesser than the gain and we have advanced enough here that getting more fuel will only push us higher. ”

One Elder spoke in the pause after her words, wearing the traditional garments of their people, fetishes clinking as he rose. “You speak of wealth and opportunity, of supporting our operations here, but isn't that precisely why we shouldn't force such a split of our attention and forces? Experienced minds have seen the devastation and loss wrought by a divided community and you are proposing to send an entire section of our people off to an unknown area. A gate may be constructed to connect our two parts, but that makes it vulnerable; if the gate is taken, lost or destroyed, they will be entirely cut off, and it will take them centuries to even hope of getting back to us and us to them. We are already deeply entrenched in our operations here in the Milky Way; we are still getting a hold of the Homeworlds, mercenary forces may be providing us a less bloody alternative for our people but it is still going to take time to pacify those regions fully. Even now, we still get reports of minor sabotages and raids by amateur groups in the outlying worlds of those systems. Some will get more bold, more desperate and start forcing us to devote more resources. If we can't hold those systems, than we will be leaving our home systems open to attack by our enemies, enemies we gain by the day.”

Yolusa winced at the harsh tone and seemed to wither a bit before the fiery gaze of the Elder as he continued to speak, ever gazing at her. The downside of being a Speaker, even temporary, is you are treated to the emotions of those speaking with and at you; be it anger, joy, understanding, bitterness, you get it all. This Elder was one of those forming around the M'mbuyomu line of thinking, those who felt they were changing too much, too quickly and were trying to dig their heels in even further. They detested any major change to doctrine as simply giving in too much to the Viprans and the galactic scene and weakening the fabric of their culture that held them together. They had been suppressed by the Imperium, whom also poked its head whenever they tried to halt their inroads into their society and markets. Frustration was building, which had been diverted somewhat into the offensives and raids going on, which was a return to old tactics and initiatives. Some still took the fight in the Bask, like this one, who kept speaking, turning to pace around Yolusa while gesturing with his arms.

“We have enemies and foes, prey and predators, here and now to focus on. We are relying too much on the Vipran Empire to shield us; they only see us as a weapon against the Huerdaen, a place to peddle their wares and fashion, taking our hard earned money from our people to fatten their pockets. Our raid is only just starting to bear fruit and rouse the galaxy, and you seek to divert our defenses and attention further. We must focus on our operations here and now; we lose out on a chance for what they offer. That is fine, we cannot accept everything we are handed, for every deal accepted is a chain added to us, another restriction due to responsibilities and expectations set upon us. We have to resist the urge to jump at every opportunity to sate our hunger and lust for battle, and only take it when the time is right. We have learned to be patient over the centuries, and while laxity replaced patience, we cannot cycle right back into recklessness, lest we find ourselves overwhelmed. We only have a few allies and I can tell you they would be hesitant to risk their positions to aid us from dealing with the consequences of our actions. The Speaker is one of us, but young and does not have the long sight of the years past to guide her actions in this regard. We should thank these Ta'Nar for their acknowledgement of our strength but deny the offer. We know nothing of them and their goals and it can only be a trap for a predator that would clearly be a threat to us.”

The Elder stepped back to his place, finally removing his gaze from Yolusa and becoming still. Moments passed as she struggle to contain her humiliation and anger. Elders did not openly rebuke each other in the Bask unless it was a case of something being obviously going to ruin the Ammudzi, as it was seen as disrespecting those who have earned their way here. Yet such a thing had just been done, and fighting it would be difficult for her as she was young and could be seen as simply reacting out of anger or young vs elder conflict. She could hear a step from behind, as another Elder, a female Gata'ja of younger but still older bearing. She was still wearing the robe of the Bask, but was using a very colorful set of underclothes of Vipran design underneath, which was causing some whispering amongst the gathering. She began to speak, a firm frown on her face as she spoke.

“I see the focus on the past has robbed you of your decency; my apologies for the rudeness Speaker, some of us have not forgotten your place here and how you received it.”

The other Elder rose as if to retort when firm hands gripped either shoulder and roughly planted him back down. Interruptions were not favored, nor allowed, in the Bask and punishment fell on the instigator and those around him should they fail to stop him. Angry looks were sent his way, and the whispering become energetic murmurs, dying down again as she continued speaking.

“We do see the concern for our operations here and how much we are taking on ourselves with our actions and our strikes. However, the sheer lack of response from the galaxy, who are standing by, having meetings and conferences, or simply doing nothing while set fire to the stars. Be it apathy, or tacit support, or sheer inability, no one has come forward to really stop us. We are also not that engaged; we have the Homeworld Conflicts, but that is a peacekeeping action, we're fighting ragged terrorists and resistance groups at this point, and using private contractors to do so. The raiding operation is taking a good portion of our resources, but we still have most of our military rearming and gearing for the next phase. We can divert what we need to start a new operation, and one that will definitely assure us expansion in the future.

The Wodzaza Project is one of the most important and ambitious projects we have contemplated to date, and a necessary one, based on our projections. We'll be able to work on it in the safety of this galaxy, with an ally ready and willing to aid us, while also expanding our reach, as the Speaker said, providing a backup home for us to retreat to should the worst come to pass, and a place to train and adapt our forces. We'll have to test the results, but we also have prey that will provide a new delicacy and strength for our people, this is not something we can lightly give up due to some concerns over lost traditions and a change in locale.”

A bark of protest could be heard across the room, but it was swiftly muffled, and the Elder ignored it. Yolusa looked at her, weighing her words. She was an adherent of the Kuwonjezeka, the line of thought for adapting to their surroundings and taking on new information and ideas. They were butting heads with those of the M'mbuyomu path, the debates having become quite rowdy as the Vipran advisors were still around, but less prevalent lately. They were pushing hard for her advocation it seemed, possibly trying to court her for their line of thinking. She hadn't picked one yet and made her position known on it. It was a relatively new phenomenon and she had been speaking at length with others at how it was fracturing their unity. Some close calls with almost deadlocked decisions had almost brought the situation to light to the greater populace and if they couldn't remain united, how they could ask them to?

“We say we gather an expedition together to accept this offer, while we build the gate, and prepare the way for the Project and get us what we need. The Ammudzi will grow and adapt one way or another with all the experiences and ideas we're already encountering. Resisting it will only lead to another foolish disaster like the Huerdaen invasion-”

A verbal explosion interrupted her, shocking the others, as the previous Elder marched up, almost spitting in rage, and the other began to draw herself up in response. Members rushed forward to stop what would be escalting into a fight, leaving Yolusa speechless. An interruption of this kind had not been seen since the early founding days; what was becoming of them?

The room descended into chaos, as the two were restrained by members of their groups, and the room surged with debate. There was a split and an utter deadlock, propagated by the same Elder that had interrupted, until finally a compromised was reached. A force would be sent, but much smaller than previously imagined and would be purely focused on acquisition of what they needed and administering the project, assisting these Ta'Nar as much as necessary until we are able to get our foot in the door. Due to difficulty of communication and administration, they would have to select someone to command in their name as sole ruler until it was developed enough to consider making a secondary Bask there to manage things. While the M'mbuyomu got their way with the size of the expedition, they were forced to bend under the Kuwonjezeka who nominated Yolusa to be that one, who managed to look utterly surprised instead of somewhat surprised as she was. They were trying to court her by giving her this position, and it may possibly work, but it meant she would have a lot of work to do.

As promised, an hour later she returned to Stark, settling back in, followed by bearers who put down fresh drinks and light snacks. Once seated again, she spoke simply.

“The Gata'ja will accept your terms upon elaboration of our task and what we will be dealing with in this galaxy of yours. We do not start a hunt without knowing ourselves and our prey.”